David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 104

Writing - Biography

A biography, or more commonly these days a bio, is a description of a person's life. 

I can remember years ago my father's exasperation when a footballer, boxer or actor, having reached the grand old age of 25, produced a biography. His usual comment was 'they haven't lived yet'!Writing a biography has been in the back of my mind for a while now but I have issues with the concept of the biography. In a sense there is an arrogance in a person that writes their own life story thinking that others want to read about them. 
[image error]Neymar born 1992

So when a 22 year old footballer produces, probably via a ghost writer, their 'life story' then it can only be as a marketing opportunity. For me that is not the purpose of writing a biography. If I do decide to write about myself it will be more of a social commentary on changing life styles over a significant period of time, and my response to those changes.
This discussion comes from a viewing of the BBC drama/documentary of the life of Neil Baldwin. If you haven't seen it check out BBC iplayer it's brilliant. Obviously it is based upon a real life, the subject is still alive and he is pictured below with the actor who played him.
Toby Jones and Neil Baldwin
The film is sensitively made and I believe will win lots of TV awards in the next round of awards but the story is really about relationships. I don't intend to spoil the experience of those who wish to watch it but just to say that it is well worth spending the time tuning in.
I have read various biographies and the quality of the content varies tremendously so it would seem to be something to be chanced with great care. 

Then of course is the process of how to organise - chronologically, events or significant others. Do you include photographs? There is so much to consider you can understand why ghost writers are often employed. However, it could be an interesting project.

God Bless

Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week

Coffee, Cole and Chimps


1. At the Starbucks outlet in the CIA's Langley headquarters, baristas aren't allowed to write customers' names on their cups.
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2. Come September 1 and the Japanese stop swimming outdoors, regardless of the temperature.


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3. There is a "right" way to eat chocolate: you pop a piece in your mouth, let it melt between the tongue and the palate, and then breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose.

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4. "Cheryl Cole" is the UK celebrity search term that leads to the most malware links.


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5. Chimps use a leaf sponge as a tool to help them drink.


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6. When the RMS Queen Mary was launched in 1932, the bottle smashed against its hull contained Australian wine.


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7. Alcohol makes smiles more contagious for men but not for women.


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8. Early cancer hospitals in the US were modelled on French castles and served champagne.


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9. Sharks can be introverts or extroverts.


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10. Restaurant diners who sit by the window or at well-lit tables order more salad, while those in dark corners have more pudding.


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God Bless

Writing - Rules and reasons

Whether it is for personal safety, safety at work or just life management there have to be rules and regulations. Sometimes these rules are written down and enacted by governments, on other occasions they are just part of our culture and are passed down through the generations. Many of these rules are in place simply for our own comfort and that is the crunch point. There comes a time in many people's lives when questions about the need for the rules arise and that is healthy but it is what we do about them that is crucial.
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Writing has rules also and for the most part there isn't much in the way of flexibility and that is so that people round the world can use the same system to code messages, produce stories and generally communicate. Of course written English isn't the sole system, as there are other scripts in use round the world, again all with their own rules. However, on occasions the result of slavishly following the rules can produce some strange outcomes.
The Japanese are quite anally retentive about the meticulous following of their culture in particular. For centuries they have taught children that they should 'follow the rules' 'don't be selfish' and 'the nail that sticks out gets hammered down'. The people and government are also keen to follow the seasons closely so at midnight on the 31st August summer ends and autumn begins which results in deserted beaches as in the above photograph. You may ask why, when the summer has been disappointing that come September, when the sun finally comes out and temperatures soar, the beaches are empty. Well its quite simple.The beach patrols, lifeguards and other summer related facilities are withdrawn by local authorities and the populace have been brought up to believe that you do other activities in the autumn, so apart from foreigners and dog walkers the beaches tend to be deserted. 

So slavish following of rules leads to deserted beaches on this occasion.
Writing rules are important but if we make an error it isn't the end of the world that's why we have editors. Even so I am pretty sure that most people who read regularly come up against errors in books that they've bought. However, when you self publish, it seems that it is an opportunity for people to deliver your mistakes back to you.
A message to all who read. Do you look at a painting and whine about a slight error in perspective or the odd misplaced brush stroke, or do you stand back and look and try to appreciate the whole work? 
All of us who write are doing so because we have that drive and we know that some will like our work, some will be indifferent and others will hate the stuff. All we ask is that you take the opportunity to dip into our work and if you like it stay awhile.

God Bless

Writing - Where to begin

The first Steele story

It is five years since I began writing in earnest and I was pondering where I began and came to the conclusion that rather than some long well-prepared moment I just sat down and started typing. As with my writing today, I spend time 'cooking' an idea before I begin to type. For me the important step was typing that first sentence, then the first chapter and after six months the above story. In the next couple of months, hopefully before Christmas, I will finish my eighth story seven of which have the same central character. For readers of this blog you may expect some advice and I won't disappoint - if you have the urge to write then write! I mean write anything and everything don't put limits on yourself. You may have an idea of what you want to write, genre etc and that's good but don't be afraid to experiment. I sold another of my poetry books this week!


Portfolio



Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Poetry Thursday 130 - Conference season

The conference season is in full swing and our screens are adorned more frequently than usual with freshly polished images of those who occasionally turn up at the House of Commons.
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Conference Season
Promises, promises
They smile glibly at the screenand try to explain what they mean.But if the unvarnished truth were knownthe plethora of words is often windblown.
Promises, promises
Hair slicked down, faces polished,this law, that tax will be abolished.But the depth of their laboured honestyfails to eclipse their innate creativity.
Promises, promises
When will they realise that their roleshould be to represent us after the poll.And not to revert to their former habitof hiding away like a frightened rabbit.
Promises, promises
It would be a source of surprise and wondershould you represent the people’s thunder.And then risk the wrath of the government whipsto support the populace’s diamond chips.
Promises, promises
I suppose when May has come and goneand a brand new government's decided uponthings will revert to that which we knowthe House of Commons establishment show!© David L Atkinson October 2014
God Bless

Writing - Does your hero always have to be on the side of the angels?

There is a security for readers in a central character who usually comes out winning in the end. There are literary behaviour patterns that attract readers to certain types of stories and characters.
The 1st Steele story 
When I set about writing my version of 'Robin Hood' it wasn't long before I found he wasn't perfect. As I wrote then Steele developed and took over his own development it became plain that the man is not as pure as the driven snow. This realism then begins to have a knock on effect and as I approach the end of the 7th Steele novel, Earth Plc, Steele's human frailties are beginning to have an influence over the plot!You may wonder at this because when all said and done I'm the author! I have eluded to this in previous blogs and I know other writers who have had similar experiences. I suppose its almost like giving birth but without the gas and air! Your character is rather like a friction driven toy car with you giving the initial push to get it going but then the momentum imparted to the engine takes over and off the vehicle goes hitting objects, jumping gaps and hopefully coming to rest upright and unscathed. That final point is where I'm coming from today.

Where is it written that a storyline, rather like a road, doesn't twist and turn to the point that the hero comes a cropper and for once fails in his efforts. There is a danger that regular readers may lose their bottle and sneak away to pastures new but on the other hand it may just engender new respect for the character. Of course the hope is that it creates a conversation point that encourages people to talk to their friends about the stories and more customers are developed as a result.

Since the first Steele novel the man has changed, loved, lost and loved again but is usually successful in his efforts to bring about justice. I'm wondering on this occasion if the man is taking me in a different direction.
God Bless

Tuesday Recipe - Beef Sukiyaki

In my endeavour to widen my experience of cooking Japanese food I have produced the following this week.
Beef Sukiyaki
Its basically a Japanese style beef stew. One of the problems I have found in Yorkshire is buying some of the authentic Japanese ingredients such as dashi stock, mirin and sake. However, the internet came to the rescue with some alternatives which worked out ok for me but I would have to strive harder if entertaining.
This meal is quite quick to cook because the meat is cut very thin as are the vegetables. Another first was using tofu in a recipe which in fact was quite simple however, although the Japanese love tofu, the jury is out with me. It is not unpleasant just rather bland and squidgy!
The full recipe is on the tab above.
God Bless

Writing - A Plague of Spiders

I walked to church to attend choir practice the other evening and collected a passenger while walking under trees. One of the children pointed out that I'd a spider in my beard which of course was claimed as a pet. It reminded me that due to a warm summer and autumn we in the UK can expect a plague of spiders for a few weeks until winter kicks in.
An orb spider spinning a web outside my kitchen window
These amazing creatures create a reaction in people, usually on the side of the negative, when in fact they are fantastic predators that happily hunt down all the other creepies in your house. In fact their various attributes are worth considering.
1. Spiders' silk is, by weight, stronger than steel.
2. Spiders use a variety of methods of capturing their prey. The methods used vary from ambush and decoys to webs.
3. All but one of the 40,000 varieties are carnivorous.
A wasp is subdued before being liquidised
4. Spiders paralyse their prey, liquidise the creature then suck up their insides.
5. Spiders range in size from the dinner plate Goliath bird eating tarantula to the size of a pinhead.
6. Jumping spiders are found all over the Earth and even up Mt Everest. They can jump 50 times their own length and hunt without the use of webs, instead spring directly on to their prey.
7. Money spiders are tiny and have the reputation of bringing you financial luck if they land in your hair.
8. Black lace-weaver spiders can be found in N America and Europe and are found under logs and stones. Look out in cellars and outbuildings as they can give a painful bite. They look after their eggs and make the ultimate sacrifice when the spiderlings hatch, becoming their offsprings' first meal.
So why do I write about spiders today? Well if you consider the skills and abilities of these creatures they are almost mythical and certainly a resource and inspiration for all types of writing. Whether you produce SF or fantasy stories or the more 'realistic types, considering the style of behaviour of spiders can enliven your prose and perhaps terrify your potential audience.

Sleep well!
God Bless

10 Things we didn't know last week

Bears, bugs and nuts.

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1. Kelis doesn't like milkshake. If she did, it would more than likely be better than yours.
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2. People with a conscientious spouse are 11% more likely to get a promotion at work.


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3. There is a vast difference between what Kung bushmen talk about in daylight hours and after dark.

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4. Polar bears have switched from eating seals to eating snow geese.

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5. Typical ground level in Roman London is 7m below today's city.

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6. Roasted nuts are more likely to spark an allergic reaction than raw.

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7. Dreams get weirder as the night wears on.

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8. The University of Phoenix is the world's most Googled.

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9. It's actually fairly easy to weigh an ant.

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10. Turmeric is good for rat brains.


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God Bless

Writing - Parents should join children's reading time

It is very satisfying to hear a well-known author speak on behalf of the importance of reading. You may think that he has a vested interest, and in some measure I suppose he has, in talking up reading but it is such an important part of all of our lives.
[image error]Michael Rosen


Michael Rosen is a children's author and poet who has written 140 books. He was Children's laureate 2007 -2009 and has also been a TV presenter and Socialist columnist.
Rosen has urged primary schools to make parents come and sit on the floor for a grown-up story time. The former children's laureate said a "powerful magic" happens when parents read to children and allow them to interpret what they see and hear. Reading closely with children was just as important as phonics. Mr Rosen also urged ministers to say in public when they read a good book. 
All great stuff and so necessary to maintain a level of understanding of the world and everyone in it. The internet is sometimes accused of destroying the enjoyment of reading but in fact to use it we have to be able to read. I know someone who is applying for work and the amount of reading and writing necessary to apply for jobs is legion. Of course that kind of literary experience is the bread and butter of reading and writing. What Rosen and all of us, whether teachers, parents or writers, should be doing is stressing the enjoyment side of reading - it will prevent us being functioning clones of the Worldwide Web.
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There is so much snobbery attached to who writes and how the works are published but I feel that there are no bad books just works that aren't produced well and perhaps ill-prepared. Stories are a source of entertainment and as such will appeal to someone, publishers should be matching works to consumers not playing the role of gatekeeper.

Portfolio



Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless